A Raven's Story
by Wings of a Bird
Summary: In which I get to delve into Aryka's deep, dark backstory. I recommend you read "Saved by the 'Other Guy'" before joining me on this adventure. That story is where my OC originated, so this one-shot series will make much more sense after reading that.
1. Chapter 1: Stay of Execution

**A/N: Here is the one-shot series about Aryka that I promised! This first one-shot is set when Aryka and Mjolnir were toddlers, during the wars between Frost Giants and Asgardians. This is the battle when Odin takes Loki. Enjoy! :)**

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Eir huddled deep inside the cave, holding her children close to her, trying to keep them warm. A difficult task on Jotunheim, that was. They were sleeping for the moment, and she was grateful. Toddlers don't allow for much rest. But despite all the trouble they caused and the much increased risk of discovery that came from their presence, she was grateful for them. They had brought so much light into her lonely life.

She heard footsteps thudding towards her, and she looked up to see her husband coming towards her. They hadn't officially been married yet, but that was nearly impossible when they were fugitives in a hostile realm. Thiazi knelt beside her and gently touched a hand to their daughter's head, briefly turning it blue.

"How are they?" he asked, his deep voice echoing through the cavern.

"Finally sleeping." She replied with a tired smile.

"And how are you faring?"

She nodded. "I'm well," but he could tell that she was exhausted.

"Here, I'll care for them while you rest."

"Thank you." She said, handed them over to him, and laid down on the lumpy stone to get some sleep.

She'd only been resting for a few moments when the sound of more heavy feet thumped down the cave toward them.

"Thiazi!" A Jotunn's booming voice thundered.

Eir startled awake and gave Thiazi a panicked look.

"They found us." Thiazi whispered.

"We have to hide the children!" she hissed, the exhaustion of moments ago gone. He handed one of them to her, and she carried their son around a bend in the cave. He had awoken and was looking at his mother with wide, terrified eyes. He'd never seen his mother this frightened. She pushed him into a tiny crevice in the wall.

"Run, Mjolnir!" she whispered. "Take your sister and get out of here!" Thiazi set Aryka down next to her brother. She started wailing.

"Shhh!" Eir hugged her daughter to her. "It's going to be fine, Aryka. Your father and I will be back for you." Mjolnir looked like he wanted to cry, but he held in his tears bravely.

Eir, planting a last kiss on their foreheads, whispered, "I love you," and pushed them away. They turned, their short, little legs carrying them as fast as they could, but it was too late.

"Traitor!" The voice was right behind them. Eir and Thiazi whirled to face the Jotunns, taking each other's hands. They knew the only chance for their children was to hold the Jotunns off as long as they could.

"Go after the children." One of the Frost Giants, Vafthrudnir, growled. Two of the Jotunns went around Eir and Thiazi to the crevice, where the sound of little feet could still be heard pattering down the corridor. Eir threw herself at them, Thiazi right behind her. They managed to kill one of the Frost Giants before the others restrained them.

Eir and Thiazi struggled against the strong hands holding them, but they knew it was hopeless. They watched helplessly as two more Jotunns approached the crevice. Then Eir smiled in triumph when she saw that they couldn't fit. There was no way that two full-grown Frost Giants could go somewhere when two half-Jotunn children barely fit.

Vafthrudnir roared with frustration and turned on Eir and Thiazi, an ice dagger forming in his fist. Thiazi's eyes watched him warily.

"No!" Thiazi shouted as Vafthrudnir drove the dagger into Eir's leg. She screamed in pain, collapsing to the snow beneath her. Her blood flowed out of her, staining the white powder scarlet.

The patter of little feet stopped, and a shriek sounded. Then it started again, getting closer this time. The children appeared in the mouth of the crevice, running towards their mother.

Eir's eyes shot open. "No, you have to go. Leave us." It was just a murmur, and it came too late to save them. They both screeched as the Frost Giants swooped them up and held them tight.

"Mother!" Mjolnir cried, his eyes wide at the sight of her blood.

The Jotunns lifted Eir off of the ground and half carried her outside, to the mouth of the cave.

"You can't take them out there, they'll freeze!" Thiazi shouted, struggling to reach his wife and children.

Vafthrudnir ignored him.

"Where are we going?" Mjolnir asked, his voice a few octaves higher than usual.

"The temple." His captor replied.

Eir and Thiazi exchanged a glance. They knew what was coming. Then Eir gave him a reassuring smile. She could save them. She muttered a healing incantation over her leg and watched as the flesh sealed up, not even leaving a scar. Thiazi was looking at her steadily, wondering what she was planning to do. She just shook her head.

Laufey waited for them in the temple. He chuckled darkly at the sight of the four of them, kneeling at his mercy. "So, after three years, we have found you."

"Laufey," Thiazi spoke up. "Execute me, but please, let the children live. None of this is their fault."

The Jotunn king seemed to find that amusing. "You think that I will spare your children because they did not cause this? They are filthy, unclean. Their mother makes them so. They are divided between two realms, and cannot remain in this one."

"Then send them back to Asgard!" Thiazi was desperate.

"I will not send them to my enemy." Laufey replied. "Their birthright is to die, because of your folly."

Thiazi bowed his head. He knew that nothing he could say would sway the Jotunn king. Their lives were as good as lost.

But Eir was undaunted. She stared Laufey down, as if that could keep her children safe. She was still glaring at him when he gave his soldiers the signal and they ran Eir and Thiazi through. As they collapsed to the ice, as the Jotunns turned to the children (screaming and crying), there was a crack that sounded through the air, as though a thunderstorm were coming. Then a blast of multicolored light shot down from the sky, throwing chunks of ice everywhere. No one noticed in the confusion when Eir put a hand to her stomach and stopped the bleeding with a murmured word.

The Allfather, followed by thousands of Asgardian soldiers, all dressed in gold, emerged from the Bifrost. Eir nearly sobbed with relief. She knew Odin would save her children. She crawled over to Thiazi's body and dragged it under an out-of-the-way overhang to keep him safe. She knew Odin wouldn't like seeing her. She was as much a traitor to Asgard as Thiazi was to Jotunheim. So she watched from the side as the Asgardians cut down the Jotunns. Her children had escaped from their captors and were huddled under the crude altar in the center of the temple. On top of the alter was something…small. And wriggling. It was hard to make out what it was through the snow that whistled through the air, but she finally realized it was—a baby?

 _Who would leave a baby out to die?_ She asked herself. She wanted to help it, to save it from the harsh elements that would soon take its life, even if it was a child of the Frost Giants. She had fallen in love with one, after all. But she knew that Thiazi needed her help more at the moment. So she turned to him and the gaping wound in his stomach. She placed her hands over it, trying to ignore how still and silent and cold he was, and called up her green light. She let it weave over her fingers and slip into his wound. A cold feeling of foreboding sat in her stomach like a stone, but she pushed it aside, telling herself that it would work.

But it didn't. No matter how much magic she poured into his wound, it refused to close.

 _"Be careful on whom you use your gift, Eir." Odin says._

 _"Why?" Eir asks, only a child._

 _"It is very taxing to heal someone, especially if the wound is grievous. Do not waste your energy." He replies._

 _"Could I…" she hesitates. "Could I bring someone back from the dead?"_

 _He knows she is thinking of her brother. He places a hand on her shoulder. "Yes." He replies after a long moment. "But it would require the sacrifice of your life in place of theirs. Your brother would not want that. You must not dwell on it overmuch, Eir." She nods, dropping his gaze, and he lets his hand fall from her shoulder._

Eir knew what she had to do. Their children would need Thiazi far more than her. They had already shown signs of being unbalanced due to their mixed parentage, and Thiazi could help them deal with that better than she could. So, the tears freezing to her cheeks, she placed her hands on his stomach again and closed her eyes.

At first, nothing happened. Then the color seemed to fade from her skin, and she felt a pit opening up in her stomach. Her eyes flew open as the pain stabbed into her, the same pain that Thiazi had felt. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream torn away by the whistling wind. The warmth seeped from her body, and she felt weak.

As Thiazi's eyelids flickered open, she collapsed to the ice at his side. His first gasp was her last. Their eyes locked for a split second, his burning with new life, hers fading with lost life.

"Care for them, Thiazi." She whispered, and was gone.

"Eir." He murmured, his lips stiff from death. He took her head in his hands, touched her cheek with a rough finger. But she didn't respond. He realized that she had sacrificed herself for him.

"Eir." He said her name again, his voice torn with grief. "Don't you know that our children need you as much as they do me? I can't raise them alone!" He was _angry_ , he realized. Angry at her for leaving him. For leaving Aryka and Mjolnir. He shook her still form and roared. Then he realized how pointless anger at her was and laid her down on the ice. She would have a proper burial, but first he needed to find their children.

He stood and looked around. There was no sign of anyone besides the dead Jotunns.

"Aryka!" he shouted, his voice booming off of the silent crags of ice. "Mjolnir!" He listened hard for any answering cry, but heard nothing.

 _No, please no,_ was all he could think as he began searching for them. He couldn't lose his wife and his children on the same day.

But there was no sign of them. He looked all over the temple, in all the caves nearby. They were gone. He tried to comfort himself with the thought that he didn't find their mangled bodies among the carnage, but it hardly helped.

And if the Asgardians had taken them, which was looking ever more likely, who knew what they'd do to them because of their parentage? Laufey had been ready to execute two children for the crime of their parents. He didn't know if the Allfather would be any more merciful. But he had no way of getting to Asgard, no way of even getting off of Jotunheim.

All that was left to him was to bury his wife.

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 **A/N: There it is! The first installment of Aryka's deep, long-ago backstory! More will be coming, hopefully soon! Please leave a review, they are the most amazing things ever!**


	2. Chapter 2: Reunited

**A/N: Holy cow, that took forever! I originally had a totally different idea for this one, but I decided I hated it after spending like a month on writing and rewriting it, and then this one took ages to work out to my satisfaction, so yeah. Hope you like this little insight into Aryka's backstory!**

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Thiazi had spent the last five hundred years searching for a way to get to his children. He had been trapped on Jotunheim, hiding from Laufey, unable to reach Aryka and Mjolnir on Asgard. And now, he had his opportunity in a foolish, headstrong boy.

He watched the child as he wandered about heedlessly, his eyes wide and curious. Soon, the boy would enter the valley where Thiazi had concealed himself and he would take him. A part of him that he liked to think was his wife's voice reprimanded him for frightening a child so, but he forced himself to ignore it. He was willing to do anything to return to his children.

As the boy came opposite his hiding place, Thiazi snatched him off his feet and into the crevice with him. For this to work, Laufey needed to remain unaware of both his and the boy's presence. The child cried out and struggled, but Thiazi was more than three times his size and had no difficulty in subduing him.

"Stop fighting me, boy, I'm doing you a favor." Thiazi growled.

"What?" he replied, his large, blue-grey eyes wide.

"If Laufey finds out you're here, he'll have you killed."

The boy's eyes went wider, and he went limp in Thiazi's grip. Thiazi allowed him to get to his feet, though he kept a restraining arm on his shoulder lest he should try to escape.

"What's your name, child?" he asked, hearing his wife's voice berating him for scaring the boy.

"Loki." He replied, doing his best to look brave.

"I need your help, Loki." Thiazi said, his red eyes boring into Loki's grey-blue ones. "Do you know of anyone named Aryka or Mjolnir?"

Loki nodded slowly. "Aryka's my friend." He replied. "But Mjolnir…" he trailed off, looking confused.

"Yes, boy?" Thiazi prodded, eager for news of his children, but dreading what Loki would say.

"Mjolnir…died. But he also didn't." Loki said, frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"It happened when I was a small child." Loki explained. "I can't remember." Thiazi growled with frustration. "I'm sorry." He was almost whimpering with fear, and Thiazi again heard his wife's voice.

 _Be kinder to the poor boy, Thiazi. You're going to scare him to death._

"It's all right." He said roughly. "Can you bring Aryka here?"

Loki eyed him with suspicion. "Why?" He didn't want this man to hurt his friend, especially not because of him.

"She's my daughter." Thiazi replied. "I want to see her again."

"It's not safe here." Loki replied, giving Thiazi a look that said, _You're proving my point._

"Then can you bring me to Asgard?" Thiazi's voice was near the breaking point. He was so close.

Loki frowned thoughtfully. "If Father knew you were there, he would have you killed." He pointed out.

"I don't care." Thiazi replied. "If it means I can see my daughter again, I'm willing to die."

Loki was silent for a moment. "I suppose." He finally relented. "I know some good places to hide you. Father won't find you."

"Thank you." It was all Thiazi could manage. He could hardly believe he was about to see his little girl again.

: :

Aryka and Loki sprinted out of the palace complex, hand in hand, heading towards the mountains. The afternoon sun beat down on them, but they didn't seem to care.

"Where are we going?" she asked him breathlessly.

"I have something to show you." He smirks at her, mischief written all over his face.

"What is it?"

"A surprise!" And he would say no more on the matter.

By the time they reached the cave where Thiazi was hidden, they were both exhausted and sweaty.

"This had better be worth it." Aryka said crossly.

"Go into the cave and you'll see." He replied, looking very pleased with himself.

She frowned at him and looked for a moment as if she might refuse, but then tossed her head and did as he told her. She screamed a moment later and backed out of the cave, pulling out a dagger. Thiazi followed, his hands out in a placating gesture.

"You brought a _Frost Giant_ to Asgard?" she shrieked at Loki.

"He's your father, Aryka!" he shouted.

"My father's dead! This can't be him! He's just trying to gain your trust so he can get revenge on your father."

Thiazi blinked, looking pained. "Aryka, I swear to you, I am being honest."

"That's exactly what you would say if you were lying to me." She spat out, brandishing her dagger.

"But I am not. I know your mother's name was Eir. I know your brother's name was Mjolnir. I know you were rescued from Jotunheim five hundred years ago by Odin Allfather."

She was silent.

"For what it's worth," Loki said gently, taking her hand. "I believe him."

She looked over at him, fear and hope mingling in her eyes. "But it can't be." She whispered, tears choking her throat.

Thiazi's rough fingers softly touched her face. Her wide eyes went back to him.

"Father?"

He embraced her tightly, and the dagger fell from her grip. She hesitantly put her arms around him. Tears slipped down both of their faces, and her shoulders were shaking.

"Why didn't you come before?" There is a touch of accusation, of anger in her voice, but her tone is mostly of grief.

"I could not. I was trapped on Jotunheim."

"It's been five hundred years. _Five hundred years._ I thought you were dead."

"I know." His voice grew quiet, choked by tears. "But I'm here now."

Then a thought occurred to her. She pulled away from him and looked up, her face tearstained. "If—if you're alive, then… is it possible…" She couldn't finish the question. But he understood, and shook his head.

"Your mother died returning me to life." He said gently. Well, as gently as a full-grown Jotun can.

She nodded, looking miserable.

"I am sorry, my child." Thiazi said, his heart breaking at her sadness.

Her eyes grew distant. "I always wanted to meet her. To learn how much of her there is in me." She says quietly. "Am I like her, Father?"

"I cannot say." He replied. "I hardly know you."

Her attention snapped back to him. With a little smile, she said, "Then we shall have to remedy that."

: :

Aryka spent the next few days largely at the cave with her father. They spoke of many things, from Mjolnir to Eir to Loki and Thor to her life to his and everything in between. It was a happy time for both, though there were many tears shared. Many wondered what Aryka was spending her time doing, but Loki managed to cover for her well enough. He knew that if anyone found out that there was a Jotunn on Asgard claiming to be Aryka's father, Thiazi would be killed. And Aryka would be heartbroken. He couldn't let that happen. Not when she was so happy.

But in the end, the choice was not his.

Fandral began to wonder if Aryka had found herself a sweetheart. After all, she was absent most of the day and was constantly happy and distracted. All in keeping with young love. He wanted to know for certain. Then he could tease her mercilessly, which, as a teenage boy, brought him endless pleasure. Especially since, though he would not admit it to himself, he was a little bit jealous of her imagined "sweetheart." So he followed her into the mountains one morning. And he saw Thiazi. And though he had never personally seen a Jotunn, he knew exactly what he was.

So naturally, he panicked. He thought that the Jotunns were invading Asgard and that Aryka was their inside "man." He ran back to the palace as quickly as he could and, through panicked sobs, told Odin everything. At first, Odin found it difficult to believe him, but the boy's near hysteria went a long way towards convincing him. So he gathered several guards and told Fandral to lead him to the cave.

Loki, upon hearing this, also panicked. He knew Aryka and her father were in terrible danger. He ran to the cave as fast as he could—just fast enough to stay ahead of his father and the guards.

Aryka heard his light footsteps outside the cave and went out to meet him.

"You have to take your father and get out of here!" he cried between gasps. "Father is coming to kill him!"

Her eyes went wide, and she felt her heart fall with a thud into her shoes. Dread and fear paralyzed her limbs. Thiazi, hearing Loki's words, appeared at the entrance to the cave. The sound of marching feet echoed up to meet them, accompanied by a boy's voice: "We're almost there."

"Hurry!" Loki whispered, grabbing Aryka's hand from where it hung limply at her side. He yanked her away from the cave and to an outcropping of rocks where they could hide. Thiazi was about to follow when Odin, relentless and terrible, gleaming in golden armor, red cape streaming out behind him, led his soldiers around the bend.

His brow lowered when he saw Thiazi.

A Jotunn.

In Asgard.

How could such a thing have come to pass?

Thiazi turned to face Odin, knowing flight would not save him.

The All-Father.

Come to kill him.

How could such a thing have come to pass?

"How have you come to be in my realm, Jotunn?" Odin demanded.

Thiazi, determined not to betray his daughter or the boy who held her tightly in his arms, said nothing. Their proud gazes locked.

Odin raised his staff.

"You are in clear violation of the treaty between our peoples." His voice rang out, clear and strong, and echoed off of the rocks. "If you refuse to declare your intentions, I must assume them to be hostile. Under the treaty, this makes you worthy of death. What say you?"

Thiazi said nothing.

"Very well."

The sun glinted off the golden staff as he levelled it at Thiazi.

"Father!" Aryka's scream was torn from her throat as a beam of light crackled from the end of the staff. It was drowned in Thiazi's as it struck his chest, threw him back against the rocks. Then there was nothing left of him but ashes. They floated to the dust, seemingly unconcerned. Silence was all there was to be heard. Then the All-father turned, his cape billowing out behind him—red with Thiazi's blood, Loki thought—and his soldiers followed, marching back to the palace.

Only when they were gone did Loki release Aryka. But she didn't run. She didn't scream. She didn't sob. She didn't even move. She could only sit there numbly.

"No. We only just met. He can't-" But tears choked her voice to a halt.

Loki took her hand and raised her to her feet. Uncertainly, he put his arms around her, knowing that even his skill with words couldn't heal the hurt that was inside her. All he could say was, "I'm sorry," over and over again while she cried.

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 **A/N: I hope that tugged on your heartstrings a little. I know writing it totally tore mine apart. I will try to get the next one-shot up soon! (Though considering how long this one took, I don't know how well that's going to work...we'll see what happens)**


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